


Baby Mine

by Metariolu



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Banishment Ending, The Grimm Troupe DLC (Hollow Knight), all of the troupe are here, father grimm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:00:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22391407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Metariolu/pseuds/Metariolu
Summary: Following after the banishment ending, how will Grimm and the rest of the troupe fair in this abrupt change in plans?
Comments: 38
Kudos: 87





	1. Interlude

**Author's Note:**

> After watch a few of mossbag's guilds and lore videos, I thought, "What would the troupe do if you do banish them? And what happens to the child???" I also noticed that there are WAY TOO FEW Grimm fanfictions where he gets to be a dad, so I'm fixing that.

Ghost’s footsteps echoed around them when they reentered that hidden chamber. The crimson hue given off by the torches only remind them of the nightmarish Grimmkins they had just slain. “All for a little noisy hellspawn and their showboating father,” they thought bitterly as Grimmchild mewed hovering behind them. They knew calling the larva a hellspawn was a bit much, but they were still bitter about how many times Grimm killed them and the trouble that the rest of the troupe was giving them. They were glad that one of the flames were easy to get, but they knew that this “ritual” would be too much for them in the end. That’s why they were here, in the chamber of the Nightmare Lantern with the musician of the Grimm Troupe.

  
“So you followed me here, to where the Ritual began,” Brumm said when he noticed Ghost, “You would join me in breaking it then?” Ghost stared at him with empty eyes as he continued, “It is painful to defy the Master, but our harvest… it profanes this dark, quiet Kingdom. This once, I would see the Ritual fail.” Ghost watched as Brumm raised his staff high, “Mrmm.. Now! Let us destroy the anchor, and banish the Master. Never shall he return here again!” Brumm brought his staff down with a destructive force before breaking the brazen that kept the lantern's coals contained. Ghost hesitated only a moment when a small gout of fire erupted from the brazen before swinging their nail. With every strike, the fire shone bright and angry, roaring at them to stop their actions. But they didn’t care about that. They cared about Hallownest and putting a stop to the infection. If this creepy troupe was making this worse, then Ghost was more than glad to put an end to this ritual. With one last nail swing, a giant pillar of fire erupted from the brazen. Suddenly, a blinding light engulfed them and a piercing screech echoed all around. 

  
When they woke up, they were alone. No mewing, no movement, no warmth. They looked up to see that the flames and Grimmchild weren’t the only things missing. Brumm and the entire Nightmare Lantern was gone, and all the smaller torches ran cold. Almost like they were never burning at all. Ghost took a peek in the small room beyond only to see that the corpse that started this whole mess was missing. If it wasn’t for the staff on the ground, no one would have even known that there was something here. They looked into their charm pocket and discovered that there was one missing. The charm notches that held the Grimmchild were empty, and the charm was nowhere to be found. Curiosity and worry welled up inside their shell as they quickly made their way back to Dirtmouth.


	2. Welcome Home

Grimm breathed deeply as he hung from his perch. His body felt weak from his dance with the bearer, but that was nothing new. He knew that his time was drawing near as he felt the light of his kin be snuffed out one by one. All he needed to do was wait while the bearer collected the last of the flames. Though, he could tell that the bearer was having a difficult time dealing with his kin. Through what little power he could spare, he could see through the eyes of his child as they tried to help the bearer as best they could. So many times has the bearer had to retreat for a moment before coming back with a vengeance. By the time the child had consumed the last of the flames, Grimm drew his cape tighter around him as he forced himself to focus on the Nightmare Heart’s beat, eager to accept the new vessel. However, he wasn’t prepared for what happened next. On a whim, he tried to check on Grimmchild and the bearer again only to be met with a blinding light and a burning pain. With a screech, he lost sight of the child and fell to the floor with a thud.

When he finally came to, he could tell that something was wrong. The air felt warm and his body felt lighter. The injuries that he sustained from the dance were nowhere to be found on his carapace and the outside of his cape was a bright scarlet. “No,” he whispered a moment before a feeling of panic washed over him. He got to his feet and quickly made his way down the long corridor, a sense of dread filling him as he saw the floor change from cobblestone to patchwork. The entire time, he was trying to force himself to calm down and tell himself that this was something his subconscious created, but that train of thought was crushed the moment his scarlet eyes fell on the Nightmare Heart. “We’re back?” he whispered in shock before a sound drew his attention towards the outside of the chamber. He gathered his strength to teleport outside only to be greeted by the mess that was developing.

Grimmkin novices and masters alike were flying around in a panic while the Grimmsteeds bucked and kicked at anything that came near them. The only one that wasn’t in a panic was Divine, but not even her half-mask could disguise her anger. 

“What’s going on?” Grimm said, his long legs closing the distance between them. 

“We’ve been sabotaged,” Divine growled as her eye remained fixed on the Grimmkins, “We’ve somehow ended up back in the Nightmare Realm and I’ve not seen hide nor shell of that blasted, bug-playing musician. And now these fools are panicking over the new change of scenery.” 

Grimm could feel his blood boil a bit. He knew that there was some kind of change in Brumm, but didn’t act on account that he knew Brumm couldn’t interfere on his own. If he had known Brumm would do something like this, he would have used the child to keep an eye on him rather than the bearer. “The child!” Grimm remembered with a start. They were in the middle of this whole thing. Did that mean they were in the Nightmare Realm too? All alone...in a dangerous place...with no one protecting them!? Bursting into a swarm of bats, Grimm took to the skies to find Grimmchild, leaving Divine to deal with the Grimmkins on her own.

With the power of the Nightmare Realm on his side, it didn’t take long for Grimm to find the cave that Grimmchild was in. As he boldly entered the cave, he could feel the Nightmare Heart burn to find the new vessel while instincts gnawed at him to find his child. He wasn’t sure which force was driving him at this point, but both sides were silent the moment he saw Grimmchild’s state. They were face down on the floor, their six wing-like tendrils sprawled out and bent in unnatural angles. As he picked them up, they were unbearably cold and their once crimson thorax was back to its former gray. Grimm couldn’t help but pity them as they weakly tried to curl up closer to him for warmth. “You poor thing,” he whispered as the child chirped weakly. He held them close as he left the cave. Since he couldn’t fly and hold Grimmchild at the same time, he was forced to make the journey back on foot. He needed the time to think of a plan anyway. Besides, nothing in this realm would dare attack the vessels of the Nightmare Heart. When he finally returned to the troupe, nothing seemed to have gotten better. 

“What are we going to do!?” a novice wept while curled on the ground. 

“What can we do!?” another said, not noticing that Grimm was coming closer, “We don’t have a bearer and the child is missing! And, last I checked, the master was still recovering from his last performance. At this rate, we won’t have anything to contain the Heart!” 

“It’s over!” a Grimmkin master yelled, “We’re doomed! The Heart will burst and we’ll all be consumed in hell fire!”

“ENOUGH!” Grimm yelled, his voice dragging attention and obedience from all of his underlings, “If you hadn’t noticed, things are not over yet.” 

Divine was about to ask what Grimm meant before noticing the shivering child in his arms. "Master," she started, "is that-?" 

He nodded, "Yes. I found them in a cave. They're weak and cold, but alive. It will take time, but we can still complete the ritual."

"But how?" one Grimmkin dared to ask, "We don't have a bearer." 

"We don't need one," Grimm says while walking through the crowd, "The Grimmchild has consumed enough flame from the other realm, they just need help holding onto it. Until then, we'll have to take care of them on our own." He turned to Divine, “We’ll need to set up a tent for the child. I don’t want to expose them to the heart to soon.” With a nod and a wave of her hand, the Grimmkins scattered to fulfil the master’s wish. When the tent was finished, the realm’s power sprang forth and filled the tent with everything Grimm needed. 

As he set the child in the newly made cradle, Divine whispered, “So, we’re in charge of raising your next life. Do you really think this will work?” 

Grimm covered the child in a blanket, “It has to. As soon as the child is strong enough, the Nightmare Heart will have its vessel and we’ll have enough power to survive until the next summon. For now, we have work to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if you find any typos or errors. Have a nice day (^w^)/


	3. Chatty Baby

It had been a week since the troupe had started taking care of Grimmchild. In this short amount of time, they had learned several things. One, the Grimmchild seems to like marshmallows toasted a specific way and will refuse to eat anything else until they ate it. Two, there is no such thing as an early bedtime or naptime. Three, the child, under  **NO** circumstances, will be quiet. For the past week, the child would not stop screeching and cawing constantly, only being quiet when spoken to or sleeping. It wasn’t until Grimm entered the room that the Grimmchild’s noise calmed down into quiet mewing and chirping. Everyday, it was the same routine. Grimm wakes up, leaves his chamber, calms the child, gets them to eat, patrols the realm, returns to the troupe to hear Grimmchild acting up again, and spends the rest of the afternoon calming Grimmchild until they fall asleep. This day, though, Grimm found himself making a detour to Divine’s tent instead of his bedchamber.

Divine watched as her master sat down in one of the few chairs she kept in the tent. “Another long day?” she asked carefully pouring two glasses of strawberry wine with her claws, “You hadn’t looked this tired since the 24 hour emergency rehearsal two lives ago.” 

Grimm muttered thanks as she handed him his wine. He took a long sip of wine before he spoke, “It’s the child. It seems as though they insist on being loud until I come and comfort them, and even then they’re still constantly chattering.” He rested his head in his hand, “Divine, how long have you been with the troupe?”

Divine carefully lowered her glass as she thought, “Hmm, when did I join? I’ve seen so many of your performances, it’s hard to remember the very first one.” She smiled and used her claw to lift her drink to her face, “Well, let’s just say I’ve been here for a while.” 

“Then, was I always this,” Grimm said with his arm extended gesturing to the air, “chatty?” 

Divine’s smile fell as she thought hard, “Well, in all honesty, this is the first time that we had to deal with a Grimmchild this young. Most of the time, the Grimmchild stays with the bearer until they can walk, articulate, and have almost mastered flame. By that time, you are almost fully grown.”

Grimm stayed for a few more glasses as he thought about Divine’s words. She was right. Most of the time, he stayed with the bearer until he was strong enough to defend himself from the dangers of whatever kingdom he was summoned into. He couldn’t remember every bearer that raised him, but he could remember what happens when the bearer leaves early. He made his way back to Grimmchild’s tent and looked over them as they slept. Even though they were nowhere near ready to accept the Nightmare Heart, they had gotten stronger and Grimm couldn’t stop the swell of pride he felt as he saw the child smile in their sleep. He used the back of his claw to gently stroke the child’s cheek. “Maybe,” he thought, “you’re just happy to have someone to talk to.” The child leaned into his touch and he stayed a little longer than he meant to before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.


	4. Scaredy Baby

Days melted into weeks and soon a month had passed. In that time, Grimmchild had calmed down and grew into a more manageable child. Which helped since Grimm had to prepare everyone for storm season in the Nightmare Realm. Storms, swirling and charged with negative energy, was a sign that the realm was “healthy”. Not collapsing at least. Though, he could tell that the lack of nightmares was starting to take effect since the first storm happened a bit later than usual. This storm was also more powerful than the firsts tend to be. Not that that mattered. He was sleeping peacefully in his bed chamber while his troupe rested in their tents, unbothered by the storm in the slightest.

  
He slept until a small sound stirred him. He caught a glimpse of the Grimmchild’s tent before he opened his eyes to a dark room. Stretching as he went, he came down from his perch and walked down the hall to the Nightmare Heart’s chamber. It was beating steadily, no sign of whatever made that noise. His head jerked as instinct drove him to teleport right outside of Grimmchild’s tent. As he entered, the red water dripped off his carapace as he heard the sound again. He turned to see Grimmchild out of their crib and cowering in the corner, whining as two of their tendrils covered their eyes as they cried. They looked pathetic as they shivered in the corner with the rest of their tendrils wrapped tightly around them, but he couldn’t really blame them. The harsh rain of the realm was vastly different than the gentle rain of the City of Tears.

  
He knelt by their side, “My child, it’s far past your bedtime. What are you doing up?” The child snapped their head up at the sound of Grimm’s voice, their tear stained face looking almost shocked that their cries had been answered. “Mew,” was all they said before raising their tendril and looking at him with pleading eyes. Grimm sighed. Even he, the king of all nightmares, knew a “pick me up!” motion when he saw it. He picked them up and the child immediately clung to him. He petted and shushed them, slowly rocking them as they fell asleep in his arms. He wasn’t sure where he had learned how to calm children. All the memories that he had as a Grimmchild faded as soon as the heart called him back to the realm. “I wonder,” he thought as he walked over to the crib, “Did anyone comfort me when I cried? Was there ever anyone there when I was scared?”

  
His thoughts were interrupted when he went to put Grimmchild back in their crib. Even though the child was fast asleep, they were still clinging to him as if their life depended on it. If he tried to pry the child off of him, they would wake up and start making a fuss. If he teleported away, he’ll either take the child with him or drop them, either way having the same result. He sighed and looked around the room when he noticed that there was a perch in here similar to the one in his bed chamber. “Guess there really is everything I’ll need in here,” he thought as he went to stand under it. Carefully, he managed to hang from his perch without waking Grimmchild. He wrapped his cape tightly around them and smiled when Grimmchild nuzzled him in their sleep. “Goodnight, dear child,” he whispered as sleep claimed him minutes later, the roar of the storm fading to nothing more than background noise.


	5. Growing Baby

After the storm season ended, Grimm thought that it was time for Grimmchild to start training. Flying was easy since that was how they moved around, the only challenge they had to face was how much energy they used since their tendrils had developed into proper wings. Combat was a bit more of a challenge, since the Grimmchild couldn’t rely on a bearer for energy. They had to learn how to attack and dodge while staying airborne all on their own, something that the previous Grimmchildren didn’t have to worry about. Grimmchild spun to dodge a fireball that a Grimmkin novice fired and then quickly answered the attack with a fireball of their own. The fireball hit home, and the novice went down without more fighting. The Grimmchild let out a small proud chirp before another Grimmkin novice stepped in to spar with them.

“They’ve grown so much,” Divine said as she stood next to Grimm, “Hard to believe that they still have growing to do.” Grimm nodded as he watched Grimmchild evade and conquer novice after novice. 

“At this rate, they may be able to fight the masters soon,” he chuckled as Grimmchild took down a novice by grabbing and using their staff, “They seem crafty enough to do it.” 

Divine nodded before saying, “At this rate, they’ll be strong enough to accept the heart in no time.”

In the corner of her eye, she could see Grimm tense up before muttering, “Yes.” 

He walked a ways away before finally teleporting back to the chamber of the Nightmare Heart. He looked upon the heart as it beat, fueled by the fires that he had gathered over several lifetimes. This Grimmchild was no different than the others that came before them. They were just another link in the long chain of the ritual. They’re nothing more than the next vessel, and he had to accept that. But as he remembered the Grimmchild spar with his kin, he knew that he couldn’t just call the child a vessel anymore. The pain he felt when he first saw their fragile state, the protectiveness he felt when he shushed them, the pride he felt when he saw his child take their first victory, all of this made it hurt to think of them as anything else other than his child. He shook his head, “That doesn’t matter. No matter what I think, that child will be the death of me. They won’t have a choice.”


	6. Curious Child

Many months had passed since Grimmchild started their training, and Grimm was impressed by the progress they made. In the span of a few months, the Grimmchild had managed to not only defeat Grimmkin masters, but even hold their own against Grimmkin nightmares. And that was before they pupated! After that, there was little holding the mini Grimm back. They even began talking in full sentences. If it wasn’t for their gray coloring, the troupe would have thought that the ritual went off without a hitch and Grimm had been born again. Grimm snapped his fingers and the arena that Grimmchild was training in disappeared, “Okay, I think that’s enough training for one day.” 

The moment Grimmchild spotted him, they immediately jumped on him, “Dad!” 

He chuckled as he hugged them, “And hello to you too, child. Have you been faring well?” 

Grimmchild nodded, “Mhm! I even won against a nightmare today!” 

“Really?” he said with a smile, “Well, aren’t you strong. Maybe you can beat two soon.” 

The child giggled as they ran into a small clearing near the training ground, pulling their father along with them. The Grimmchild was slightly faster than Grimm since they were lighter, but Grimm could easily keep up with them thanks to his long stride. Grimm chased Grimmchild in the clearing for a while until the child collapsed in a fit of giggles. They sat down together for a while before Grimmchild spoke.

“Father?” 

“Hm?” he said looking at the child next to him, “What is it?”

“Why am I not red like you and the nightmares?” they asked, “I’m stronger than the novices and masters, but I’m still not red like the nightmares. Am I too weak?” 

Grimm could hear the sadness in their voice and picked them up as he answered, “No, you’re not weak. You’re just a bit young.” 

“But Divine said that you were red when you were my size,” they said with a pout. 

Sometimes, he really wished that Divine would not tell stories of his previous life. Now he had to think of what to tell the child. 

“Well,” he started, “it may have been that my bearer was brightly colored.” 

The Grimmchild tilted their head, “Bearer? What’s a bearer?” 

He hummed in thought, “A bearer is someone who summons us to another realm. After that, they’re the ones who protect us while we gather flames and grow stronger.” 

“Like a mom?!” the Grimmchild blurted excitedly. 

“Um,” he started after he processed that question, “I guess you could say that? But I believe that the reason that you’re still gray is because your bearer was also dull colored. It has nothing to do with how strong you are.”

The Grimmchild seemed to think about this for a moment before smiling and saying, “Well, when I turn red, I’m going to find my bearer and show them how strong I got! Then we can all play together. Maybe they’ll see our first show!” 

Grimm smiled to hide his grimace, “Maybe someday. But, that will have to wait for another day.” They walked back to the rest of the troupe just in time to see the novices setting up a game. Grimm put the child down, “Now, go play. There’s not much light left.” 

The Grimmchild nodded and ran off, waving to Grimm as they went. Once they were fully distracted with the game, Grimm walked into Divine’s tent and collapsed into one of the chairs. Exhaustion crashed into him in waves and he suddenly had to fight to keep his eyes open. He felt Divine put damp cloth to his head as she handed him a drink. 

“Just because you were born in fire,” she said, “doesn’t mean that it’s normal for you to have a fever.” Grimm couldn’t think to respond to her, so she sighed and continued, “Grimm, you and I both know that Grimmchlid is ready. They’ve fought every master, learned every skill, and have a big enough presence to lead the troupe. They’re more than ready, and yet you’re still insisting that they need a little more time. I mean, look at you. Your color is already fading and your stamina is draining faster by the day. We can all tell you’re suffering, so why are you doing this?”

Grimm stared at his drink as he processed her words. Like she usually was, she was right. Everyday, it was getting harder to wake up. Everyday, it was getting harder to summon what Grimmchild would need for the day. Hell, it was even getting harder to sleep, since he was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to wake again. And yet, he still pushed through it because it wasn’t just about the ritual anymore. It wasn’t about his next life. It wasn’t even about the Nightmare Heart. It was about giving Grimmchild something that no other Grimmchild had. A childhood. A chance to be an actual child. And if he wanted to do that, there was one last time he needed to do. 

“Divine,” he said as he stood up, “can you promise me one thing?” 

Divine hesitated, but nodded. 

“When the ritual is complete, can you tell Grimmchild what happened?” he said softly, “I don’t want them to try and look for me.” Divine stared in shock and wanted to ask more, but Grimm was gone in a puff of smoke.

When Grimm landed after his teleport, he felt his head swim. He looked upon the heart as his vision cleared and saw the state that it was in. The heart was burning brightly, but the beat was slow and weak. He wouldn’t be surprised if the heart stopped altogether, but he couldn’t let that happen. “Please,” he whispered, “if you can, allow us to return one last time. Let my flame last long enough to get us there just… one… last… time.” He could hear the heart’s beat grow fainter as his eyes slipped shut. His body felt heavy, but he wasn’t scared of sleep this time. He knew what was happening. The heart had heard him and now the troupe was heading back. Back to the kingdom bathed in pale light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now time for sadness :D


	7. Fading Father

Ghost flopped down on the bench with a silent sigh. They had tried to reach the end of that polished marble palace so many times that they had lost count of how many times they had to claim their shade again. In the end, they had just given up and wandered Hallownest to find something, anything, that could save their cursed sibling. But all signs pointed to the other half of the broken charm in their inventory, and Ghost was not looking forward to going back.

Ghost jumped when they felt a presence behind the bench and music suddenly next to their head. “Hello, my friend!” Nymm said proudly as he played his musical bug, “Forgive me for butting in so suddenly, but you had seemed downcast so I thought a happier tune would lift your spirits!” Ghost had almost forgotten about him. After they had banished the Grimm Troupe to the Nightmare Realm, Nymm had shown up in Dirtmouth and had given them the Carefree Melody charm. While they did admit that the charm had its perks since it protected them from damage every once in a while, it was still out classed by so many other charms and combinations. There was just no reason to use the charm, even if they were fighting very strong enemies and that free damage could make all the difference.

And the real price they had to pay for it was annoying. The once quiet town of Dirtmouth was now filled with Zote shouting his precepts to the world, Bretta swooning over him, Salubra’s blessing laughing overhead as she gave them soul, and Nymm playing carnival music in an attempt to cheer them up. The noise was one of the reasons that they had been underground for so long. There was so much more to do down there and there were areas that were quiet and peaceful like they preferred it. If they hadn’t been born without a voice, they were pretty sure that they would have yelled at everyone to be quiet. They let their head fall forward, hoping that maybe they’d calm down after a quick nap.

When their vision came back, they were not sitting on the bench. They were standing on the outskirts of town, the remains of the stone door they broke was evidence of that. But how did they get here? They knew they had fallen asleep on the bench, so why were they out here? They walked forward and were surprised to not hear anything coming from the town. No music, no laughing, no precept number 32, just the wind howling from behind them. Had they really started dreaming of a quiet town? Maybe, but who knows what the rest of Hallownest looked like in their dream world. But just as their normal bench came into view, they saw a figure standing beside it. A tall, slender figure with crimson eyes.

Ghost fell into a fighting stance and put a hand on the hilt of their nail when Grimm chuckled, “And hello to you too, my friend.” Ghost took a step back as Grimm circled the bench to stand in front of it. “You don’t need to be afraid of me,” Grimm said as he sat down on the bench, “I’m not here to fight. I only wish to speak to you.” Ghost hesitated as they processed his words, but the smile on Grimm’s face said everything. Grimm was looking at them with a small, tired smile and his bright crimson eyes seemed duller than they remembered them. Even though the situation was strange, Grimm really did seem genuine with his request. With caution, Ghost sat down on the bench while Grimm turned his head skyward.

They stayed quiet for a while, simply adjusting to the other’s company, before Grimm said, “It’s a beautiful day, really.” Ghost looked up as Grimm continued, “The sky may be cloudy and the wind may never stop blowing, but at least you know that there are stars hiding behind those clouds. The skies of the Nightmare Realm never have calm clouds like these.” Grimm looked down at the ground, “The sky was rarely ever calm and the ground would burn if you weren’t used to it. And yet, life after life, we would return to that place with our fire to keep it alive. Because we knew that, if we failed, that place would be our end.” Grimm looked at Ghost, “My friend, why did you banish us? You were doing so well and had gathered every flame. What told you to change your mind?” Ghost sat there for a while, surprised by what they had heard from the Troupe Master. They went through this ritual to keep their world alive? And to keep them alive, Grimm knew he had to be defeated? Was gathering the flame for Grimmchild just the troupe testing to see if they could defeat their master? 

After a while, Ghost realized that Grimm was actually waiting on an answer. They thought about how to communicate for a moment before pulling out one of their maps, turning it over, and writing on the back with their quill. Grimm watched as Ghost wrote down their answer. 

- **_Was scared_ ** \- they wrote, - **_Wanted to protect Hallownest, but not strong enough on my own._ ** \- 

“So you went to Brumm,” Grimm whispered as he chuckled, “After all the fighting you do, I would have never thought that you had doubts about your abilities.” 

Grimm saw Ghost quickly write more on the back of their map, - **_Wasn’t doubting! Just unsure about your ritual._ ** -

“Hm?” Grimm tilted his head, “It was the ritual you were worried about? Did you think that our ritual was a bad thing, friend?” Grimm chuckled as Ghost nodded, “My friend, the ritual is not meant to be a bad thing.” Grimm looked back towards the sky, “When the Nightmare Realm and the Dream Realm were connected, the ritual was meant to rob bugs of their nightmares. To create fear only to steal it away and let dreams take their place. But, when the realms were split, the ritual became an infamous sign of the end. An era, a place, a life, it didn’t matter what ended. All that mattered was whether or not something was left behind. When we are summoned to this plane of existence, we gather the embers of what was left behind and help them burn bright in their last moments. Every flame you’ve gathered for Grimmchild was but one memory that will forever be remembered so long as the flames shine bright.”

Grimm sighed, “However, things have become more dire. Since the ritual had been interrupted for so long, the flames of old have begun to run dry.” Grimm looked down at his hands, “Even now, I doubt I have even the strength to appear before you in the waking world. Whether as I am now, or through the eyes of the child you helped raise, I no longer have the strength to do either.” Grimm got off of the bench and Ghost watched him as he turned to face them, “My friend, I’m afraid that I must ask you to make a choice. As things stand now, my troupe will no doubt return to this land to take all the flame that they can get their hands on. If you wake up now, they will not stop gathering until there is almost nothing left in order to complete this ritual. However,” he extended his arms, his palms open and visible, “if you strike me down now, the damage that they cause will be few and limited. Hallownest will be safe and the troupe will leave this place for good. There would be no reason to return here.” 

Even though Ghost couldn’t show very much emotion, Grimm could tell that they were conflicted. He turned his back to them and moved away from the bench. If Ghost so chose, they could leave or kill him with very little effort. All they had to do was choose. Grimm smiled when he heard the sound of their nail being drawn. Even when they had made their choice, they still gave Grimm the option to turn and fight. Grimm did turn, but it was with a smile on his face and acceptance in his eyes. “So, I take it that this is your choice?” he said as Ghost’s pure nail started to glow with power, “A fine choice. Though, may I have a final word?” Ghost nodded as they drew their nail back and waited for Grimm to continue. “After I die, please visit the outside of the village where our tents stand,” Grimm said, “There’s someone there who would like to meet you.” Grimm watched as Ghost nodded and prepared their nail art. Ghost wanted to make sure that Grimm wouldn’t suffer so they channeled as much power and soul into the nail as possible before letting that tension go. The moment the nail connected with Grimm, the latter burst into a storm of flaming rose petals, each one burning brighter than the last until Ghost was forced out of the Dream Realm.


	8. Farewell

Grimmchild wasn’t sure when they fell asleep. One minute, they were playing a game with the novices. The next, they were waking up on a ledge in one of the troupe’s tents. As they hopped off the ledge, they noticed a change in the air. The air was cooler than normal, and the wind outside sounded calmer. As they walked down the corridor, they noticed that even the ground was colder than normal. When they got past the curtain, they walked into an arena with dark lanterns hanging from the rafters. “It’s bigger than the one we trained in,” they whispered in awe, “Is this the stage that dad performs in?” They kept walking until they got to the exit and saw the Grimmsteeds standing guard by the entrance. They wanted to ask where they were, but the steeds seemed to tense for that. “Is this place dangerous?” they thought as they saw Divine scoot out of her tent.

“Divine!” they called as they ran up to her. 

“Why, hello young master!” she replied with a smile, “You look well! I knew red would be a wonderful color on you.” 

The Grimmchild took a moment to process her words before they finally looked down at their own body. Their once gray carapace was now a deep red and a brighter shade dyed the inside of their cape-like wings. Their eyes widened and a bright smile appeared on their face, “It finally happened! I’m red now! Wait till I tell dad! He’ll be so happy, and then we can explore this place! Maybe we can even find my bearer here and we can all play together!” They were confused when they saw the sad smile on her face.

“Child,” Divine said while gently laying a claw on their shoulder, “there is something that I must tell you.” They looked up at her as she continued, “Your father, Grimm, is dead. He can never come home. Your red color is proof that the last of his flame rests with you.” 

They shook Divine off, “No, you’re wrong. I was gray before because I was too young to have his colors. I’m older and stronger now, and that’s why I turned red. Dad’s not dead… he’s too strong to be dead…” 

“Young master,” Divine sighed as she reached for them again, “You must understand. Grimm is-.” 

“HE’S ALIVE!” they shouted as their tears fell, “He’s alive! I know he is! He probably went ahead to look for my bearer. He said that I could meet them someday, so that’s where he is! I know it!” 

“Grimmchild!” was all they heard from Divine as they tried to run into the vaguely familiar town only to be held back by the Grimmsteeds that guarded the tents. 

“Let go of me!” they shouted as they struggled against the bugs. 

“Master please,” the steeds said through their masks, “You mustn’t venture off. It is too dangerous.”

“LET GO OF ME!” They lifted their head and spat fire, something they hadn’t done since they were little. But, this attack was different. It wasn’t just a fireball like usual, but a hoard of screeching fire bats. The sound of them alone was enough to spook the steeds into letting them go. But as they slipped out of their grasp, a new face stopped them. A being with white horns, gray cape and empty eyes. “Who are you?”

If Ghost could show emotion, they were sure they would be staring in shock. The small little Grimmchild that they lead around Hallownest had grown into a miniature version of the bug they helped banish. The only difference was that this was the first time Ghost had seen Grimmchild so sad. “Who are you?” they said, clearly wary of their sudden visit. 

Ghost pulled out another map and scribbled on it before turning it to Grimmchild, - **_Called Ghost. I called the troupe._ ** \- 

“You summoned us?” the Grimmchild whispered, “So, does that mean you’re my bearer?” 

“That’s correct, young master,” Divine said as she moved between them, “This little lovely is your bearer,” she glared at Ghost, “They are also the same bug that helped a filthy little traitor banish us before the ritual was complete. If Grimm had not found you in time, this bug would have caused your end.” 

The Grimmchild hopped over Divine to stand in front of Ghost, “Is that true? Did you really banish us?” Ghost could see the heartbreak in their eyes as they nodded. “But why?” they said holding back a sob, “Why did you do it? Did we scare you? Did you not like our games? Did you hate us?” 

Ghost shook their head as they wrote, - **_Of course not. I didn’t hate you, and the games we played were fun. But, I was afraid that I would be strong enough to protect Hallownest. I thought by banishing you, this place would be safe and that your troupe would move one to another land. Had I known that the ritual did little damage, and that you couldn’t move as freely as I thought, I would have finished the ritual properly._ ** \- 

The moment Grimmchild finished reading, several Grimmkins flew overhead with lit torches. Divine carefully took the child’s hand in her claws, “Young master, we must return. With the last flames gathered and Grimm’s passing, there is no reason to stay here.” 

Grimmchild looked between Ghost and Divine before sighing, “Do we really have to go?”

She nodded, “Yes. It’s dangerous here and we must prepare for the next summons. It’s what we must do.” 

The child nodded as they weakly held Divine’s claw. They turned to look at Ghost one last time, “I guess this is goodbye. Though it was short, I’m glad that I got to meet you.” Ghost could only stare and wave as the Grimmsteeds stood and blocked Grimmchild and Divine from their view. Suddenly, the ground shook and a strong gale blew, forcing Ghost to cover their face. When they looked up, the troupe was gone like they were never there. Ghost stared down at their hand, thinking back to their talk with Grimm. Ghost deep down that they had been doubting themselves. Banishing the troupe and running away from the White Palace was more than enough proof to anyone that Ghost was trying to find an easy way out. But after seeing Grimmchild, knowing that the sweet bug they helped raise will soon grow into a fierce leader only to die, Ghost knew that the most important things are worth struggling over. Ghost walked to the stag station. There was something in the White Palace they needed to get for their sibling. And no amount of spears or buzz saws were going to stop them.

When the troupe returned to the Nightmare Realm, some of them had joined Grimmchild in the chamber of the Nightmare Heart. The child watched as the Grimmkins feed their flames to the heart, its beat growing stronger with every ember. By the time the last kin gave their flame, the heart was glowing and beating stronger than ever. After that, the troupe left Grimmchild alone, knowing that they wouldn’t be able to withstand the heart’s heat for long. But, Grimmchild couldn’t feel the heat. They were far too focused on the beat. It sounded just like their father’s heartbeat. Whenever their father pulled them close or held them when they were younger, Grimmchild could always hear his heart beat under his scarlet carapace, even has it grew weak. “Father,” they whispered as they laid underneath the heart. The heat was unbearable and the sounds were loud in their ears, but they didn’t care. It was the closest they could get to their father now. Unbeknownst to them, the heart still had one last gift for their former and current vessel.

Grimmchild woke up in the chamber. They couldn’t tell when they had gone to sleep, but they knew that the heat didn’t bother them anymore. They looked at their wings and saw that both sides were red now. As they got up, they noticed that they stood a bit taller and their body seemed even lighter than before. They looked back at the heart to see it just as before. Confused, they whispered, “What happened?” 

“That is what we call a “growth spurt”, my child,” a voice said from the corridor. Grimmchild spun to face it just as a familiar figure stepped into the light. Grimm looked fondly upon his child just as the latter’s eyes began to water, “To see you grow in such a short time, it’s the greatest time I could ever hope for.” 

“Father!” the child shouted as they ran to their father’s waiting arms. They held each other before Grimmchild spoke, “But how? Divine said you died.” 

“Unfortunately,” Grimm sighed, “she was not wrong.” He led the child to stand in front of the heart as he continued, “What we are experiencing now is a dream created by the heart. It’s allowing us one last chance to speak to each other before my flame is added to the fire.” 

Grimmchild held his hand, “But why? Do you have to leave? Why can’t we live together like before?” 

Grimm knelt to be eye level with his child, “Because we were never supposed to. Under normal circumstances, you would grow outside of the realm and return with little to no memories outside of your time away from the troupe. Under normal circumstances, I would be long since dead and you would bear the title of Troupe Master. Under normal circumstances, there would not have been a difference between us. No caring father and happy child, only vessels to carry the heart of “Grimm”. And for a new vessel to rise, the other must burn at the hands of another.” Grimm took his free hand to wipe away his child’s tears, “But, this wasn’t a normal circumstance. You grew up here, forced to learn how to fend for yourself far sooner than any other child before you. You connected with the troupe and saw them more than just tools to gather flame. You were the only child to ever have a “father”.” Grimm pulled the child closer, hiding his own falling tears, “And I was the first “Grimm” to have a child of his own. No matter how much the heart wanted me to keep my distance and finish the ritual as soon as possible, I couldn’t bring myself to listen. I wanted to make sure you were safe and happy. I wanted to be there when you said your first words. I wanted to be there when you won your first battle. I wanted to be there when you played your first game. I wanted to watch you grow, no matter how much it hurt to keep going. I wanted to be there for you, for as long as I could.” Grimm looked into his child’s eyes as the light from the heart started glowing brighter, “My child, there are so many things I could say, but this is the most important thing you must know. I’m proud of you and I am honored to have been your father.” Grimmchild hugged their father tightly, their grip never faltering even as their father’s carapace gave way to scarlet flames. 

When Grimmchild woke up, they were still in the chamber of the heart. They ran down the corridor to their father’s bedchamber only to see that nothing was moved or even remotely out of place. They climbed onto a ledge and grabbed the perch that their father would hang from in his sleep only to find it cold. With a heavy heart, they knew that this meant that their father would never return to this room and that the heart wanted them to claim this chamber for themselves. With mild difficulty and a bit of patience, the Grimmchild held onto the perch and wrapped themselves in their wings. Though it hurt them greatly, they needed to get back to training. They needed to be strong enough to complete the ritual when it begins and make their father proud.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Personal headcannon! Grimmchildren inherit one move from each bearer. Grimmchild got the Howling Wraiths and Father Grimm got Pufferfish XD


	9. Epilogue

Grimmchild sat at the top of a building they found. Though, they really couldn’t call themselves a “child”, could they? Divine had told them to just accept their father’s name and title, but Grimmchild had only accepted the title. They just didn’t feel right calling themselves “Grimm” when the Grimm they knew had lovingly cared for them and died so many lives ago. Apart from never being named, Grimmchild didn’t watch over the bearers as closely as their father did. Whether that was a good or bad thing had yet to be seen, but they could never really stay still when they got to a new place long enough to attempt to look, no matter how much the troupe begged them to do so. “Maybe I got that from mother?” he whispered as a breeze blew by, “They did seem like a wanderer with all those maps.” Grimmchild looked at the sky and chuckled softly, “I wonder if you would be yelling at me too. You always got mad whenever you didn’t know we were playing hide-n-seek.” They didn’t expect an answer, but they somehow knew that, if their father had been there, he wouldn’t have yelled at them. Scolded maybe, but never yell. As they looked into the sky, they did something that no other Grimmchild had done. They sang. 

“Baby mine, don’t you cry,” they started softly, “Baby mine, dry your eyes.” 

The wind blew warm as the sun came from behind the clouds, almost as if to listen.

“Rest your head close to my heart,” memories of their father came back, “Never to part,” memories of when their father held them through their first storm, “Baby of mine.” 

By the time they had finished their song, the sun was setting on the horizon, bathing the shy in beautiful shades of crimson. Grimmchild smiled, knowing that somehow, someway, their father had heard them and was still smiling at them. Forever and always proud of the child he had raised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end! Thanks for reading! \\(^0^)/


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